Chapter 4

Natasha POV

What… had I been caught?

The thought slammed into my head so suddenly that my chest tightened.

My mind started racing, my thoughts crashing over one another in a frantic rush.

For a moment, everything around me seemed to fade away, and all I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat beating loudly in my chest. The sound drowned out every other sound in the room, and even the low whispers of the women around us barely reached me.

No… no, don’t tell me it’s what I’m thinking.

Don’t tell me I had been—

“You bitch!”

Everything happened too fast.

One moment, Danica had been standing by the entrance with that infuriated look on her face, and the next moment she was right in front of me.

Her sudden movement made several women nearby gasp and step back.

Her long black-painted fingernails came dangerously close to my face as she jabbed a finger at me, her hand trembling with rage.

“You’re the one, aren’t you?” she snapped, her face twisting in fury. “The same bitch who talked back to me and Gisella that day at the audition, right?”

I could only gape at her, completely confused.

My brows furrowed as I stared at her, trying to understand what she was talking about.

What audition?

What—

“Nah, don’t give me that look, you disrespectful bitch,” Danica hissed, leaning closer to me. I could smell the sharp scent of her perfume, thick and suffocating. “You think I don’t remember you? Of course I do, I had asked someone to look into you after the stunt you pulled on at the audition that day...”

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Turns out you’re Katherina Rutherford from Silverdale Pack, a lowly bitch with a big ego.”

My stomach dropped immediately.

Oh.

Oh, shit.

At that moment, everything clicked.

My twin sister, Katherina.

Of course, this was about her. Heck, I had almost forgotten I was using her identity and almost allowed anxiety get the best of me.

A bitter breath escaped me as the whole thing started making sense.

Seems like the troublesome witch had already managed to stir up trouble here before I even arrived.

Typical Katherina.

She had always been like that, always acting bold, always ready to challenge people just to prove she could.

But really…

My breath hitched.

Of all the people in this palace she could have offended, she had to pick someone like Danica?

And now I was standing here, wearing her identity, pretending to be her.

Goddess…

Even without anyone spelling it out for me, I could already feel the disaster looming over my head.

From what I had seen earlier, Danica wasn’t someone who simply let things go.

“Gisella made it very clear she didn’t want you auditioning for the consort.”

Danica’s voice suddenly pulled me back to the present.

I looked up at her, only to see her lips curled with contempt as she looked me up and down like I was something rotten.

I didn’t know who this Gisella was, but from the way she spoke about her, it was obvious she held some kind of importance to her.

Which only made things worse.

My mind raced again.

What exactly had Katherina done to these people?

How badly had she offended them to make Danica this furious?

“Yes,” Danica continued sharply, her voice rising. “She told you not to audition after the nonsense you did. And I? I told you never to step foot in this palace again. And yet...”

She leaned even closer, glaring straight into my eyes.

“And yet here you are, you dare defy me?”

Her voice grew louder with every word.

“Not only did you insult us, you defied our words and came here to participate anyway. The nerve of you!”

She out screeched the last words so loudly that I flinched without meaning to.

So that was the problem.

Katherina insulted them.

Of course she did.

That sounded exactly like my sister.

I could practically see it happening in my head, my sister standing there with that careless smirk on her face, throwing insults like knives and walking away like the world owed her something.

My pulse began racing again, panic clawing its way up my throat.

This was bad.

Really bad.

I wasn’t Katherina.

But right now, I was wearing her name.

Which meant whatever trouble she had caused… was now landing squarely on me.

God, why did Katherina enjoy leaving disasters everywhere she went?

“Just get prepared,” Danica continued coldly. “Wait until Gisella comes and sees you here.”

Her eyes darkened even more as she spoke.

“She’s going to deal with you.” She paused briefly, then tilted her head slightly, eyes studying me like she was deciding something. Then slowly, a cruel smile spread across her lips.

“But that’s only if I don’t mess you up first.”

My breath caught immediately at that, and before I could process it—

“Guards,” she barked suddenly. “Arrest her.”

Almost immediately, two guards stepped forward like they had been waiting for the command the whole time, and before I could react, their hands clamped around my arms.

No.

My heart slammed violently against my ribs.

No, this couldn’t be happening.

I hadn’t come here for this.

I didn't come here to be dragged and treated like a criminal in front of everyone.

I had come here for one night.

One chance.

If this went wrong, then everything, all my plans, would be ruined.

“Please, Lady Danica, I’m sorry!”

The words burst out of my mouth before I could stop them.

My voice trembled as I spoke, the fear and desperation evident in them.

“Please, I’m sorry for disrespecting you. I promise I’ll be on good behavior from now on. Please…”

Goddess... I hated the way I sounded right now.

Begging and groveling like some pathetic bitch.

Katherina would never do something like this, she'd rather die than say sorry.

But I wasn’t Katherina.

And I honestly didn’t care about my pride right now, all I cared about was what I'd be benefiting if tonight went the way I planned.

And I was willing to swallow anything if it meant staying.

“Please, I promise—”

However, the words barely left my mouth when something hard slammed into my face. A punch.

Pain exploded across my face immediately, and my head snapped to the side. I staggered on my feet, my vision blurring instantly.

“Bitch,” Danica’s low growl soon reached my ear.

“Don’t tell me you already forgot the rules already. You don’t beg Danica.”

My ears rang violently as I struggled to steady myself. The guards still held my arms, but I could feel my knees going weak.

Did…

Did she just hit me?

“I—” I tried to speak again.

But before the word could fully leave my mouth, another punch landed.

My head jerked again as white spots burst across my vision. The pain spread instantly, and this time I tasted blood inside my mouth.

“Rule number two,” Danica sneered. “You don’t speak when I speak. You don’t—”

However, the rest of her words slowly faded into meaningless noise, as all I could feel was the burning sting across my cheek.

Danica had hit me.

Twice.

My chest rose and fell heavily, and immediately I felt something hot begin spreading through my body, my blood boiling inside my veins.

All I did was apologize, even lowered myself and begged, even though I knew my sister would never do that.

And she still saw it as an offense.

She still hit me.

Of course, I was used to people bullying me.

I was used to being called names, used to people whispering behind my back and looking at me like I was dirt.

But one thing I wasn't used to was this.

Being hit.

No one.

No one except my parents had ever raised their hands on me.

My fingers slowly moved to my cheek, and I touched the spot where she hit me. I felt it throb under my fingers, and more heat rose in my chest.

Slowly, I lifted my head up.

Danica was still glaring at me with a smug look on her face, like she was expecting me to shrink, her shoulders held high, eyes sharp.

But I didn't shrink. Instead, I stared right back at her, my fist curling slightly beside me, my breathing turning heavier as something inside me cracked in that instant.

You know what?

F**k her!

F**k the fact that she was the Alpha's sister!

Immediately, before my mind could stop me, more like before I could stop myself, my fist shot forward, and right there, I punched her straight in the face.

“You don't get to hit me however you like, bitch!” I spat.